Irradiation energy can have a detrimental impact on exposed substances and organisms. When a molecule absorbs light, the absorbed photon may propel an electron from a lower energy orbital (e.g., ground state) to a higher energy orbital (e.g., excited state). A molecule with an excited electron may be unstable; it may readily react with surrounding molecules to release the excited state energy and return its electron to a lower energy state. The manner in which the excited energy state is resolved may have a substantial impact on the ultimate effect of the absorption event. For example, photosynthetic organisms can harvest the absorbed energy and convert it to usable chemical energy. In many cases, however, excited state energy is resolved in less productive and even detrimental ways. For example, reactive oxygen species and other reactive free radicals may be formed. These highly reactive species often react by oxidizing one or more surrounding molecules. The resulting damage may vary in kind and extent. Other consequences of reactions resulting from excited state molecules may include: bleaching pigment molecules, degrading polymers, mutating DNA, damaging plasma membranes, and/or activing intracellular signaling ectopically and/or deleteriously.